Last Will
by joiedevivre2011
Summary: The words on the bright white paper tugged at something inside of Jane. Terror. Despair. The document was only three days old. It had only been two months since Frost's death. [one-shot. I promise this isn't sad.]


Sorry this isn't an update for The Nanny (if you're signed up for my author alerts). Struggling a bit to finish up that next chapter.

This, however, I've been playing around with for weeks and weeks. I already know my beta is gonna argue with me about not ending it how she said to, but that's something I'll just have to live with. ;-) I had an internal war between listening to her and ending it how I have, and my side won.

Oddly enough, I got this idea randomly while driving one day many moons ago. Not quite sure where it came from, but here ya go.

Disclaimer: Not mine. Never will be. Not sure why anybody has to state this anymore.

* * *

For some reason unknown to Jane, a thin stack of papers, paperclipped together, were simply lying on the kitchen island inside an open manila folder. Perhaps Maura had been reviewing them, but had then gotten distracted. Yet it wasn't like Maura to simply leave documents just lying around, even if in her own home. Assuming it would be a file for one of their recent cases, Jane glanced to see which one.

Except it wasn't for a case.

It wasn't even for work.

_Last Will and Testament_

The words on the bright white paper tugged at something inside of Jane. Terror. Despair. The document was only three days old. It had only been two months since Frost's death.

_I, Maura Dorthea Isles, a resident of Boston, Massachusetts, being of sound mind…_

Jane's eyes couldn't help but skip further down the page.

_I appoint Jane Clementine Rizzoli as Executor of my Last Will and Testament..._

_I will, give, and bequeath unto the persons named below, if he or she survives me, the Property described below:_

_Name: Jane Clementine Rizzoli  
__Address: 244 Harbor View Drive, Apartment 12, Charlestown, MA 02129  
__Relationship: friend  
__Property: sole beneficiary of all assets_

Sole beneficiary.

_Sole beneficiary._

Jane's breath caught in her throat. Maura planned to leave Jane _everything that belonged to her. _Her house. Her money. Her weird African masks. Every single thing.

To her, Jane Rizzoli, best friend.

To say the least, the brunette was stunned. While she knew Maura and her parents weren't particularly close, she still assumed that Maura would leave most everything to them in the event that she died before them. Even Cailin at least, seeing as she was Maura's half sister. Otherwise Maura would probably have a husband, a long-term partner...someone who wasn't just her best friend...before she was gone.

But no. Just Jane.

Swallowing the lump in her throat, when she heard soft footsteps from the hallway, Jane hastily moved around the kitchen island and began to busy herself making a cup of coffee, despite the fact that it was nearly 3pm.

"Oh, I didn't hear you come in," Maura said softly as she entered the kitchen and spotted her best friend in front of the coffee maker.

"Sorry," Jane apologized, glancing over her shoulder. "I thought maybe you'd be taking a nap since you've been awake for so long."

Maura smiled as she walked toward the spot on the island where the open file folder was. She calmly closed it and placed the red pen on top of it. "No, I hope to power through until late evening so that I can sleep well tonight."

Turning around, Jane leaned her hip against the counter. She lifted her chin in Maura's direction, her gaze on the folder. "That one of our cases?"

With a shake of her head, Maura simply said, "No, just some paperwork I'm reviewing."

"Oh." It wasn't that Jane had expected Maura to discuss the papers with her, but she did feel disappointed that Maura didn't feel the need to, especially when they were about something so important.

Slowly Maura approached Jane, having noticed a stain on the royal blue cotton button-up she was wearing. Just above and to the right of the heart, on the swell of Jane's breast. When she was within nearly half an arm's length distance away, she reached forward and touched it. "That wasn't there this morning. Do you want me to get you a clean shirt and wash this one?"

Jane let out a laugh. "Maybe later."

After she nodded and dropped her hand back to her side, Maura stated, "I was thinking about watching a movie. Would you like to join me?"

A dark eyebrow lifted. "Depends."

"12 Years a Slave?"

Jane scrunched her nose. "Too intense right now."

"Fast &amp; the Furious 6?"

"Seriously?" This time Jane's eyebrows lifted in surprise.

Maura shrugged. "You haven't seen it yet."

"Are you going to behave?"

Holding up her right hand, Maura said, "I promise not to point out all the inaccuracies."

Jane smiled, her dimples appearing.

"Unless you point them out first." When Jane raised a finger to protest, Maura continued, "Don't pretend you don't do that sometimes."

"You're irritating, you know." Jane smirked.

"So you tell me from time to time, and yet you're still hanging around, so what does it say about you?"

"Nothing. It just says that all of _your _wonderful qualities make up for it."

Maura couldn't help but roll her eyes, yet she still smiled. "I DVR'd the movie for you last week. You get everything started and I'll make some popcorn."

The brunette had already begun moving toward the living room, but froze at the word popcorn and turned back to Maura. "Popcorn too?" She squinted her eyes. "Hold up. What am I getting dragged into for this?"

A lump formed in Maura's throat and she couldn't bring herself to say what she really wanted to, but she still settled on something true. She reached for Jane's hand and squeezed. "Sometimes I just want to do things that make you happy."

Like the words on the page Jane had read, Maura's words tugged at her heartstrings. Hand still holding Maura's, Jane leaned forward and kissed Maura softly on the cheek. "I'm so lucky to have you in my life," she said quietly as she pulled back. With a squeeze of her hand, Jane then let go and made her way into the living room to set up the movie.

About 30 minutes into the movie, Jane still couldn't stop thinking about those papers.

The detective was stretched out on the sofa, her legs across Maura's lap, and though her head was turned toward the TV screen, she wasn't at all focused. She kept pulling her bottom lip between her teeth, letting it go, and repeating the actions.

_Sole beneficiary._

The words kept reverberating in her mind.

"Jane?" Maura's soft voice brought her immediately out of her own thoughts.

Blinking slowly, Jane turned her head to look at her best friend. "Hmm?"

"Are you okay?" Maura asked. "Normally you would've made several snarky comments by now."

There was only a moment's hesitation before Jane blurted, "You're leaving me everything?"

Caught off guard, Maura's head tilted slightly. "What?"

Looking down sheepishly and picking at her cuticles, Jane replied, "I thought the folder on the island was one of the recent case files, so I glanced to see which one. But...it wasn't. I saw it was…" She had no desire to finish the statement. To name the document. "You made me your sole beneficiary? Why?"

Understanding dawned on Maura's face and she immediately looked down at her own hands resting on Jane's left shin. "You're all I have," she said quietly. She didn't even seem to be upset that Jane had been inadvertently snooping.

Jane sat up and reached for the remote control on the coffee table. Pausing the movie, she lay back down and looked at her best friend. "Maura."

It was the same tone and way Jane had said her name after Maura had asked, "How will I survive without my best friend?" after Casey proposed.

"Don't _do that_," Maura replied, hazel eyes flashing with anger as they met the brunette's. "Don't say my name like I'm being ridiculous. You _know_ you're all I have." She shoved Jane's legs off her lap and stood up, spinning around to look down at Jane. "I'm _not _married. I don't have any children. My parents and I aren't exactly close." She threw her arms out to her sides, gesturing to everything around her. Her voice finally cracked when she asked, "Who am I supposed to leave all of this to? _Bass_?" She took a deep, shuddering breath.

Tears sprung to Jane's eyes and she quickly pushed herself off the sofa, pulling her best friend into her arms. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry," Jane mumbled. "I didn't mean to upset you." She began rubbing circles on Maura's back to soothe her and the blonde melted into her embrace. After several moments of silence, Jane pulled back enough to look at Maura, whose eyes were brimming with tears. "I just don't understand why you didn't tell me."

"I didn't want you to try and talk me out of it," Maura explained.

"I wouldn't have done that," Jane protested. "Not if it were what you wanted."

Maura sighed heavily and pulled herself from Jane's embrace to sit back down on the sofa. Jane instantly followed suit, sitting close enough that their arms almost brushed together. "I know you," the blonde replied. "You would have found some reason to try and get me not to do it."

"That sounds an awful lot like assuming," Jane quietly told her.

"Okay then. Tell me what you would have said when I told you."

Jane reached for Maura's hands and linked their fingers together. After a moment of reflection, Jane said, "I would say that I would want to honor whatever your wishes were."

"Eventually, perhaps, but that wouldn't be your first reaction, would it?"

With a sigh, Jane could only agree.

"What was your immediate reaction when you saw it earlier?"

A lump formed in Jane's throat, tears prickling hot in her eyes. "I was terrified."

Not at all expecting this response, Maura's brow furrowed briefly, clearly needing an explanation.

"The thought of you not being here...I could barely breathe."

Maura squeezed her Jane's fingers. "And then?"

"Then I thought why not your parents? Or even Cailin?" Jane said softly. "Nobody leaves everything they own to their best friend." She looked down at their joined hands.

"Many people marry their best friends," Maura reasoned. "Or at least claim their spouses are their best friends, and leave everything to them."

Jane smiled, though it was clearly one of sadness. "We aren't married though. We aren't even a couple."

"Well then I guess we have to get married," Maura halfheartedly joked.

Amused, Jane finally looked back over at Maura to see that, despite her words, her facial expression was far more serious than she expected to find. Every last bit of amusement disappeared immediately. "What?" Her brow creased as she scrutinized her best friend's face.

Maura looked away and pulled her hand from Jane's, embarrassed. "Sorry. I shouldn't have said that."

"Well, we do have a bit of a Boston marriage thing going on here, don't we?" Jane laughed nervously, trying to ease the sudden tension. "Not like a piece of paper would change much."

Eyebrows rising briefly in surprise, Maura turned her head back and commented, "But you're forgetting that the term refers to two women living within the same residence, and typically implies a sexual relationship between them, yet we in fact do not do either of those things."

"Maura, I practically live here, and when I'm not here, I'm at work, and the few times when I _am_ at my apartment, nine times out of ten you're there, too. We have clothes in each other's closets, keys to each other's places. For god's sake, I know your debit card PIN."

Maura started to protest, "Yes, but-"

Jane cut her off with a wave of her hand. "No buts, Maur. We even bring our pets to each other's places. I have a container of British strawberries in my fridge and it's certainly not for me _or_ Jo." Finally she looked at Maura for a response.

Sitting there for a moment, Maura then asked, "Are you trying to convince me that we _have _a Boston marriage, or telling me all the reasons why we might as well get married?"

It was only a second before this _huh, didn't think of it like that_ look appeared on Jane's face and she looked at Maura for another second before she said, "I don't...know actually."

"Then I'm not sure what point you're trying to make by being so insistent about this," Maura said quietly.

"I guess I was just pointing out the evidence?"

Maura nodded thoughtfully. "There certainly is a lot of evidence. Does it…" She let her voice trail off, suddenly too uncertain to continue with what she was about to ask.

"Does it what?" Jane pressed.

"It's nothing. A silly question honestly," Maura replied.

"No, ask me." Jane's voice was as full of certainty as Maura's was lacking it.

Wringing her hands together nervously in her lap, Maura looked away and quietly asked, "Does it mean anything to you?"

"What do you mean by _it_ exactly?"

"The 'evidence.' These details about our relationship?" Suddenly she corrected herself, knowing the connotations of the term. "Friendship?"

"You are the most important person in my life, Maura," the brunette said softly. "How could they _not _mean anything to me?"

With a sigh, Maura turned her head to look back at her best friend. "I should have phrased that differently. I meant does our friendship feel like _more_ to you?" Before Jane could respond, tears clouded Maura's eyes and she looked at the ceiling, willing them not to fall as she said, "Because what we have fills that place in my heart that's supposed to be reserved for the person I want to spend the rest of my life with and I'm at the point where I need to know if I'm that same person for you. Sometimes it seems like I am and I don't know if it's just wishful thinking or-"

Suddenly Jane reached her hands forward, cupping Maura's jawline and tilting Maura's head down. Eyes locked together, when no protest came, Jane quickly leaned forward to press her lips against her best friend's, both of their eyes closing to enjoy the sensations. The kiss was slow at first, then rapidly became desperate, Jane wanting to calm Maura's fears and answer her simultaneously. After several long seconds, Jane pulled away and her hands fell to her lap, nervously waiting for Maura to open her eyes.

Several tears were slipping down Maura's cheeks when she opened her eyes, immediately seeking Jane's dark brown, fear-filled eyes.

"You are. You are and I hate that I've been too chicken shit to tell you," Jane said, lifting her hands again to the blonde's face, cupping her jaw as she brushed away the few tears with her thumbs. "If this was all there was ever going to be the rest of my life, just like we are now, I would have taken it just to be near you."

Suddenly Maura laughed through her tears. It was brief, but hearty.

"What?" Jane replied as she dropped her hands, feeling hurt that Maura would laugh at her confession. She looked down at her lap and fiddled with her hands.

"I don't care what you say, you believe in romance," the blonde explained. "No matter how cynical you've appeared to be about it, secretly you've held out hope for finding someone."

"I hereby plead the Fifth." The brunette had a small smile on her face as she lifted her head.

"Perhaps you should plead no contest," Maura replied. "Pleading the Fifth implies that you may have done something wrong and you haven't. At least not yet."

When confusion causes Jane's brow to furrow, the honey blonde lifted her hands and grabbed hold of each side of Jane's button-up just below the collar, pulling the woman toward her as she herself began to lean back to lay on the sofa. "For example, it would be wrong if you didn't continue kissing me right now."

Jane let herself be pulled forward and braced her arms on each side of Maura. Quickly she turned her body so that she could lie on top of the blonde, one knee pressed against the apex of two strong, yoga-pants clad legs. She lowered her body flush against Maura's.

"And it would be wrong if after that, you didn't take me upstairs and slowly undress me before you make love to me." Heads only inches apart, Maura glanced down at Jane's full, dark pink lips as her hands settled on the belt at Jane's hips.

Images of twisted 1000 count sheets and Maura's pale skin pressed against her own tanned body flashed through Jane's mind.

"And it would be-"

"Wrong if I let you keep talking," Jane finished, her voice husky, before she dipped her head, kissing her best friend to silence any further statements.

"Mm, wait," Maura protested, trying to stop their kiss and turning her head to the side, which only prompted Jane to begin kissing down her jawline. "Anything I should add before I turn that draft over to my lawyer tomorrow?"

"Shhh," Jane hushed her. "Only happy thoughts when I'm kissing you."

"Jane," Maura said simply.

"Donate the African stuff," Jane replied hurriedly. "Freaks me out."

Right hand moving quickly, Maura pinched the brunette's side just above the waistline of her work slacks.

"Ow!" Jane grumbled. "No pinching when kissing!"

Again Maura pinched lightly.

"Maura!"

With a brief chuckle, Maura grabbed Jane's belt with both hands, pulling the woman fully on top of her as she pressed her lips fully against Jane's again. "I love you," she murmured.

* * *

Okay, so I have a bone to pick with the R&amp;I writers...what else is new? For FOUR seasons (at least I think all four), Jane's apartment has been #12. That's what it says on her door. The only time #3A ever came into play was on Frost's postcard. So I'm ignoring that inconsistency. I do, however, accept the rest of the address.

I guess it doesn't matter anyway though, seeing as Jane isn't ever there.

(Side note: let's not get into the technicalities of last wills and testaments. I did some basic research, only a tad bit specific to Massachusetts, and that's it. If Jane wouldn't be called sole beneficiary, substitute it however it should be said. That's not the important part.)


End file.
